Bad To The Bone
by Obsessed-with-Coldplay
Summary: Jason Murphy is new in Elm Tree House. He can be very rude, impatient and doesn't really care about anything unless there's a point to it. A lot of people have taken a disliking to him, but can anyone work out why he's really like this? Rated T for swearing and brief mentioning of drugs. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

I watched as we drove past familiar houses and streets, and then past unfamiliar ones. This was it; a new start.

'So, um Jase, can I call you Jase?,' asked the social worker. I couldn't really be bothered to know what her name was. Why should I anyway? She's just some stupid social worker who only cares about kids because she's paid to do so. I didn't answer and put on my earphones but didn't put on the music. She turned around, raised her eyebrows a little and smiled. 'Aah, teens eh? Some get addicted to crack, others to Nicky Minaj.' She said to herself. Nicky Minaj? Seriously? I scoffed, loudly, and meaningfully. We pulled up in front of a huge house, like those posh estates you get on _Escape To The Country. _I got out of the car to see a little boy, around seven or eight years old with messy blond hair, bright blue eyes, holding a toy giraffe and peeking out of the window. He then gestured his hand to a little girl, the same age, with even messier short frizzy ginger hair. Soon they were both staring at me, intently too. I decided to ignore them and stood infront of the car boot, waiting for the social worker. She came and opened it. I got out my red Vans backpack and blue Adidas shoulder bag, slung them round my shoulder and got out my suitcase and walked towards the door. I rung the doorbell. No one answered. I rung it again. Same response. I tried a third time but was still left hanging. Impatiently, I kept ringing it again and again at a fast pace until finally I heard some jamaican woman shouting out that she was coming. Result. The social worker came and stood there beside me. The door opened.

'Hi, I'm Gina. And you must be Jason right?' Said the woman standing in the doorway. She was quite a big woman with vivid clothing, make up and fake hair braids. I muttered a yes and managed a semi smile. Boy, was I tired.

'Ok, well come in, come in,' she said gesturing me inside the house. I walked in and looked around. I looked down and saw the two little kids from before. 'Hi, what's your name? My name's Floss, and this is Harry, and our giraffe's called Jeff.' Said the little girl.

'Floss, how many times? Jeff's _mine_, you can play with him, but not keep him. Oh, hi, what's your name?' Said Harry.

'Harry, I already asked what his name was,' said Floss. She looked up at me again. 'What is it?'

'Jason.' I said.

'Oh. That's a nice name. Come on Harry, let's play jungles in my room again.' She said. The two of them ran up the stairs. I hoped most of rest of the kids around here were little like them. That way the staff won't expect me to make too many friends. Just then Gina placed a hand on my shoulder. 'Right then Jason. Let's get ya settald in yeah babes? Come and meet the others yeah.'

She said, steering me towards the living room. Unfortunately for me, most of the kids here were teenagers, or preteens. Except for a boy, around nine, ten years old, who was crafting a small, distictive looking rocket out of tin foil, a juice carton and pipe cleaners. Great, I thought, just great. Why Mum, WHY did you kick me out to live with a bunch of strangers? Every one except Gina then turned to look at me, or rather, study me, like I was kind of alien and they were the scientists, wondering whether if they should welcome me to Earth or dissect me. Well that's what it felt like anyway.

'Guys, this is Jason. This is his very first time in care so be nice.' Gina said. She then went out the living room door, leaving me on my own. I sat down on the sofa beside a teenage boy, about a couple of years older than me. He had a mop of brown hair and was listening to music. He caught me looking at him and took his earphones out. 'Hi, you must be the new boy, right? I'm Rick.' He said.

'Whatever.' I said, putting on a 'I couldn't care less' face.

'Geez, you could do with some manners.' He said, frowning.

'Like I said, whatever.' I said. There were some "ooohs" coming from behind. I turned around. Everyone was looking at me. One girl was smiling at me, impressed. She was the same age as Rick and had blue hair extensions. I sighed, got up and headed for the door.

'Running away from everyone? And on your first day too? Tut tut tut.' Someone said. I turned around and saw it was the girl with the blue hair.

'I know, I'm leaving the room. Shock! Horror! I'm just so bad aren't I?' I said to her. I left the room, feeling annoyed. I could hear even louder "oooh's" this time. Someone also said afterwards: oooh Elektra, I would be hate to be in your shoes right now. How embarrasing!'

'Shut up, Johnny!' She snapped in return. So her name was Elektra. What a stupid name.


	2. Chapter 2

I shut the living room door behind me. I could still hear people behind it, some laughing at Elektra, well mostly that Johnny kid anyway.

I looked around for the office, and opened the door. There was a middle aged man typing on a computer, and Gina screaming down the phone in an effort to tell the person on the other line that no, for the last time, she didn't want to know about their PPI ad.

'Gina, where's my room?' I asked her, after she had slammed the phone down.

'What? Oh, sorry Liam, I didn't see you there.' She said.

'Liam? I'm Jason. Who the hell's Liam?' I asked.

The man looked up.

'Oh, you're Jason? I'm so sorry, I've been a bit busy today. I'm Mike.' He said. He had an irish accent.

'Oh, don't mind Gina, she's having a stressful day. And Liam was a boy who left to live with his-

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Where's my room? I'm kinda tired.' I said.

'Oh, um, it's upstairs, first door on the left. You'll be sharing with Johnny, do you know him? Oh, and your stuff's already there, all you need to do is unpack.'

I sighed, went upstairs, found my bedroom and went inside. It was alright, I suppose. I couldn't be bothered to unpack just yet as I was tired as hell. I didn't really get a chance to sleep last night. Here's a little flashback to tell you why: I had come home from school a little later than usual. Ok, when I say little, I actually mean an hour and a half. When I had come home my mum was furious, partly due to me coming home late and partly due to just reading a letter that came from school.

'_Another _fight? Jason this is out of control!' She said. I tried shrugging it off but for some reason it didn't seem to work this time.

'Jason Murphy don't you _dare _hunch up your shoulder at this! Ok, this is too much stress I mean, I have bills that need paying and-

'So pay them!' I interupted.

'Your dad's in prison. He can't work and we get no money. You know that.'

'So why don't _you _work?'

'Why should I, huh? I'll only get a job as some cleaner and that's like what, 50 quid a month? That's a weeks shopping bill. Yeah, I messed up my school life and look where it's got me. That's what I'm saying to you. Some of these days you'll get kicked out and you will regret it, ok. Now, why were you late?'

'The bus-

'You know what, forget it.' She said, gesturing to me to get out of the kitchen.

I did and went to the living room to watch TV instead. My brother Neil, who was a couple of years younger than me snatched the remote. I snatched it back. It then turned into a snatching tournament and then he kicked me, hard, in the stomach. I kicked him back, harder but not meaning to. Before long we were fighting, with words as well as limbs.

'You're such an attention seeker. You come home late everyday so Mum notices you. I'm only like twelve and even _I _know that.' He said, pushing me down hard on the sofa. He may only be twelve but he had hit his growth spurt earlier this year and was nearly as tall as me, but a lot more musclier. I had always been quite thin.

'You're twelve, not two. And by the way, it's usually the dumb kids that seek attention.' I shot back, pushing him down onto the carpet. He banged his head quite hard on the corner of the sofa.

'I'm not dumb! Why does everyone think that?'

He cried out, nearly in tears. I wasn't sure whether it was because of the pain he was in or me calling him dumb.

'Who calls you dumb?' I asked.

'No one. No one calls me dumb ok? Why would anyone call me dumb? I mean no one calls me dumb at home so why would anyone calle me that at school...' His voice trailed away.

I started laughing a little. 'So, so people tease you at school cos, you're thick and stuff?'

'Why do you have to be so mean for? He said, fully in tears. He stormed out of the room to go upstairs. 'Neil, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it-

'I don't fucking care!' He shouted from the staircase. I started laughing again. Neil had never swore in his life before as he thought it was the first sign turning evil. Secondary school had really changed him. To be honest it changed me as well.

Just then Mum came in, asking what the commotion was about.

'I called Neil dumb and he started crying.'

'What? And look at you, smirking like that, it's not his fault he has autism!'

'What?'

'Hasn't he told you?'

'No.'

'He's scared of telling you, his own brother. I'm not surprised. The way you treat him...'

'What? He needs to learn how to stand up for himself. That's all I'm doing. How's the twerp gonna survive? I mean with you spoiling him since the day he was born it was bound to leave some effect.' That's when she blew a fuse. A fuse as big as Russia.

'That's it. That is _it! Get out!'_

'What?'

'I said. Get. Out. Get out of my house right now. Get lost. Get lost, I don't know, wherever, I don't care. I am sick and tired of you treating me and Neil like dirt all of a sudden. It's been going on ever since you started year nine. No, actually, since year 8. All you've been doing is treating everyone like dirt and I'm not standing for it any longer. So what are you standing there for? Get out. Out! Now!'

I got my school bag and my coat and did as she said. I went out, slamming the door behind me. I started walking, not really caring where. I felt angry at her, glad even. But that all changed when it started raining.

Even with a coat on I was freezing and my stomach seemed to be crying out in hunger. I saw a 24 hour tesco across the road and decided to stay there for the night when it got dark. I didn't have any money for food but I managed to somehow dodge the security cameras and steal a packet of hot cross buns (if there was a subject at school based on shoplifting, I would be top of that class but more on that later). I ran to a corner and and ate them with relish. Fortunately this corner didn't have a security camera anywhere near it, so that was good enough. Though a school bag doesn't make a good substitution for a pillow, so sleeping that night was quite hard. I suppose I should stop now, seeing as you now know why I didn't get a wink of sleep. I mean, that's what this whole flashback was for, right? But...I'm carrying on anyway.

The next morning I went into school even though it wad teacher's training day. I told the teachers what happened and they phoned up my mum but she only said she wanted me in a carehome for a month or so to straighten out my ways. Like carehomes were the equivalent of rehab centres or holy convents.

So they called in a social worker who came with me back to the house to collect my stuff. Neil was there in my room, crying again, but silently. He came and hugged me as soon as he saw me. I hugged him back tightly though I was the type of person who generally avoided physical human contact.

I apologised about the day before and told him if anyone called him dumb I'd smash their face in. He smiled but still didn't say anything. Mum was apparently in the shower, though she rarely showered in the afternoon, only in the morning.

So with all my stuff packed I headed in the car towards my new home.

Now I was laying in my new bed, instantly falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up to a bustling noise. Johnny was there, frantically emptying the contents of his drawers, then the wardrobe, then crawling under his bed and then mine.

'Looking for something?' I asked. I heard a thud from beneath my bed.

'Ow! Banged me head. Yeah, I'm looking for summat. Have you seen a plastic bag full of cash?' He said, crawling out.

'Um, no,' I said, getting out bed and putting my phone on charge. It was a scrappy phone, a hand me down from when I was eleven. Ever since my dad went inside me and Neil had to do with second hand things. My only other electronic device was my Mp3 player. I had managed to somehow save up for that.

'Maybe it got stolen.' I suggested.

'Who would steal my money, they've known I've had it for ages. Unless...' He looked up at me.

'No way. I'm not a theif,' I lied. I checked the time on my phone. I never stole personal possessions, only the odd pencil sharpener from Rymans or a bag of haribos from the local corner shop. Shoplifting had slowly become a habit to me and I'd never got caught yet.

'And like I'd steal your money.' I was telling the truth this time.

'But last time a new kid stayed in my room, she stole my money.'

'Doesn't mean I did it.'

'If you've got it I'd really like it back.'

'I haven't got it!' I snapped, going out of the room and down the stairs.

'Wait, are you not gonna even start unpacking? How am I supposed to walk with all these stupid bin bags everywhere?'

'You seem like a clever boy, you'll find a way.'

'Urggh! Wait, I found it!'

I rolled my eyes and wondered which room to go to. I avoided the living room incase of Elektra. It's not that I was scared of her or anything, it's just that I really couldn't be bothered to start an argument. It was arguments that got me there in the first place anyway.

I went into the kitchen instead to see Harry and Floss trying to use Jeff to reach the squash in the fridge. I took it out and poured it to them into cups when Harry struggled to get the lid off.

'Thanks,' he said, smiling. 'You're really nice. The rest are just, well, not nasty, but they all ignore us.'

Just then Rick walked in, shooting me a dirty look. 'Yeah, Jason's such a lovely lad,' he said to Harry, grabbing a banana out of the fruit bowl. He looked at me and put on a subtle but sarcastic smile.'Aren't you Jase?'

'Could you please not call me that?'

'Please? What lovely manners.' His sarcastic smile had stretched from ear to ear now.

'Some people just can't let things go, can they?' I said. Rick glared at me, then scoffed.

'You think you're so bad, don't you? Word of advice Jase, take the act off. People are gonna get bored of it after a while.' He said leaving the room. I followed after him, ready to give him a piece of my mind. Just then Elektra popped out of nowhere. 'Bored of what?' She asked.

'None of your buisness.' I muttered. She turned to Rick but he just shrugged and went upstairs.

Elektra sighed and walked towards the living room. 'Badass wannabe.' She said. I sucked my teeth. She stopped in her tracks.

'Did you just suck your teeth at me?' She said turning around, acting like I had poured a bucket of cold water over her head. Sensitive or what?

'Calm down bitch, no one died.' I said before going upstairs again.

I spent the rest of the evening lying in bed, reading Artemis Fowl and listening to My Chemical Romance, my all time favourite band but when I heard Gina screaming out that dinner whas ready I took my headphones out, closed my book and tried hard to go to sleep again. Eventually I did.

The next day was ok, everyone was at school and since my old school was far too much a distance to travel from here, I didn't have to go, and instead I had to move to another school, but Mike and Gina said I had to stay at home that day as they had to wait for me to be registered at BrookVale Secondary, the one that all the other kids went to.

I almost punched the air when they said I no longer had to go to that wretched school anymore. It was because when my head of year found out that my dad went to prison for stealing, she had the bright idea to discuss it with another teacher, in the middle of the corridor. Some boy that didn't really like me overheard and told all his mates and they told nearly everyone else in year 8 (it happened last year).

Some even made up a rumour that I was a thief too, which wasn't true at the time anyway. So some bitchy girls would edge away from me on purpose to see my reaction and when that failed they would say something like 'Oh, I shouldn't really stand so close Jason, should I? He might pickpocket my bag.' Followed by a round of giggles by the other girls.

Being bullied had changed me, made me learn to talk a lot tougher, well a lot ruder anyway, though I'm not sure it made me stronger but my new attidude impressed some people who ended up liking me and eventually befriending me too.

Though they were never close friends, they had long when primary school ended. I felt bad now, for teasing Neil as he had been through the same experience.

A couple of days later I was sitting in the kitchen, nibbling on my piece of toast, in my new black and blue blazer. Everything seemed to be chainging so quickly.

**Elektra's POV**

I've found a way to get back at Jason, I've somehow sneaked into the office and found his file. Wow, his dad was in prison. Wait till everyone hears about this...


	4. Chapter 4

**Soz for taking a while to update, I kinda had **

**writers block. **

**By the way, Tyler or Jody don't appear in this story, cos they don't really have any role in the storyline and I decided to give Neil (Jason's brother) some spotlight on this chapter as well as Jason, to give a two point perspective. I'm not sure if it works or not. :/**

**Reciews welcome.**

Moving school suddenly seemed scary now - and I had a feeling my first day at this one wasn't going to go too well.

'Come on everyone, get on,' Mike said, gesturing everyone on the minibus. I got on, unsure who to sit by, there was Harry and Floss, Johnny and Rick, Faith (another girl in this place) and a mountain load of art coursework next to her, Carmen (pink obssessed thirteen year old) and Tee (Johnny's little sister, same age as Carmen) and Mo (the boy who was making a rocket out of tin foil earlier) and Frank (don't know anything about him, apart from his name). Great. Just great. I had to sit with Elektra.

I went right to the back, and sat down. She didn't seem to care much, or even notice for that matter. The music from her earphones was blasting out violently, which made me figure straight away it was rock. Wow, music taste was the one thing we had in common, apart from rudeness. Probably. I hope.

When everyone got off the bus, she smiled at me.

'Have a nice day, Jase.' She said, in a friendly manner, before running off into the bleak, main school building ahead of us. Rick caught up and stood beside me.

'Did she just...be nice to you? I ain't an expert but she probably has it in for you.' He said, before walking off too.

Got it in for me? Well that had just made sense.

**(Meanwhile...Neil's POV)**

I woke up, feeling good for the first time in a while, no headache, no iritating, constant drone of my alarm clock...Oh great, I overslept.

'Neil! Finally! It's what? Nine o' clock? Come on, get ready for school, there's still time.' Mum said, thrusting my wretched school uniform on top of me.

'I'm tired, I can't, my limbs are aching like hell.' I lied, unconvincingly. I hated school. I only had a couple of friends, who I didn't really like anyway and vice versa. I was constantly jeered at for being different - and by different I mean some stupid, babyish weirdo.

'Hell? Who d'you think you are, Jason? I don't want you becoming like him, so stop using silly words like that, d'you hear me?' Mum said.

'Mum, I'm twelve, not five. Why do you always talk to me like I'm a baby?' I asked, sighing.

She stared at me, smiling, as if I really was a newborn, chubby cheeks and all.

'You're my baby,' She said, stroking my hair. I wriggled free and stormed out of the room.

It was her turn to sigh now.

'Ok, Neil, we'll go see Dad instead if you want.' She said. I went into the bathroom and started the tap.

'I told you mum, I don't feel well.' I said, washing my face. I never liked visiting my dad in prison. He didn't really care for me much anyway - the only son he knew existed was Jason. And even if he did notice me he would often tell me to man up, and to stop getting upset everytime Jason teased me. It seemed no matter how hard I tried I never seemed to impress him - that was always Jason, so over time I stopped trying all together. Well, I guess he couldn't help telling me to man up, being an 'alpha male' dad and all. I mean, I'm a boy, I wasn't supposed to keep welling up was I? Not for little things anyway. It was one of the main reasons I would get bullied.

'Actually, get to school, I know you're lying, you probably feel perfectly well. I'll go visit your dad.' Mum said.

' Mum, I _do_ feel sick! And anway, isn't he going to ask about Jason?'

'I'll say he's at football practise. Look, Neil, you need to understand, I've sent him there to learn a lesson, and as soon as that's done he'll come crawling back.'

'You sure?' I asked, doubtfully.

**Back to Jason's POV again.**

I headed into the main office, accompanied by Mrs. Chapman, my new head of year and another girl who was starting the same day as me. Then I finally recognised her. Chloe, class bitch, from my old school, left about a year ago, coming back to haunt me, probably. Wait, maybe I had got it wrong, maybe it wasn't her, it was someone else.

'Right, Jason, Chloe, you two excited?' Mrs. Chapman asked, executing a fake smile. She must have done this countless times. Yup, so it was Chloe. _Oh God, if you really do exist, please don't make her recognise me._

'Jason? That you? Ohh. My. God. You're starting here as well? Wow, you've gone tall. Must be useful when you burgle and all that.' Chloe said to me, grinning.

'You two know eachother?,' Mrs Chapman asked, staring at the two of us. 'Great! So it won't be that hard to make friends, now will it?' She was talking to us like a couple of nursery kids, starting primary school. I groaned silently to myself.

'Plus you'll be in the same form too.' She said. I groaned out loud. Chloe did the same.

**Later (lunch)**

'How-how-how the hell do you know?' I asked Elektra, shocked and confused. She smiled.

'You see, once you're in this dump, they make a file about you. _Everything_ about you. Well, all they know anyway. I think they get it from your school or something. Anyway, all I had to do was sneak into the office and read it.' She said, finishing her last chip.

She knew about my dad. All I had to do now was hope she wouldn't tell anyone. Who was I kidding? It was Elektra. I only knew her for nearly a week and already had no doubts about her spreading the poison.

'Who did you tell?' I asked.

_'Moi?',_ she asked, hanging her mouth open and pointing to herself in a theatrical gesture.'Well, I told a couple. Don't worry, the word will soon spread.' She took a couple of chips from my plate and stood up from my table, just about to leave.

I looked at Chloe at the other table. I wasn't sure if she would tell anyone later on or not. I needed to make that doubt go away. She was one of those over emotional girls who shed a waterfall if a boy rejected them or something. I guessed if I was nice to her, she'd forget about the whole thing. Stupid, I know but this school was probably permanent; what choice did I have? Well, many others probably but that didn't occur to me back then. So time to play the guilt trip game.

She stared back at me from ahead. I slowly but painfully gave her a smile. It felt like I was sucking on lemons. Suprisingly, she smiled back.

Elektra's roumour spreading seemed to be failing, as the people she told wern't in my year, plus I was new, so they had no idea who I was. Relief.

The smiling game with Chloe worked for a couple of weeks, and the saying hi in the corridoor technique worked a treat. She was such a twat to me before, it was almost unbelievable that she was nice to me.

'Jason,' she said one day, when we were leaving maths. 'Um, I need to talk to you. You know we're friends right?,' she said, biting her bottom lip. Friends? I never meant it to go that far.

'Well, I thought we could study for the maths test tommorow at mine. You wanna come?'

I was shellshocked. Did one of the prettiest girls in year nine, not to mention my old arch enemy, just ask me out? Oh why why why did I say yes?


End file.
